AGE
IN/OUTDOORS
DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS
Creativity, Divergent Thinking, Dramatic Play, Hand-eye Coordination, Small Motor Skills, Social Development
MATERIALS - click to buy
- Popsicle sticks, one for each puppet. If you don’t eat popsicles, you can use jumbo craft sticks, available here online from Amazon or at dollar stores.
- Fabric cut into pieces two to three times as wide as your popsicle stick, about 1-½ to 2 inches. We used pre-cut craft felt squares, which can be found here on Amazon or from your local craft stores
- Scissors - for adults to cut fabric
- White glue, like Elmer's Glue-All or Aleenes tacky glue for quick drying. See our Materials page our glue type explanations.
- Child-safe, washable, fine-point colored markers like these.
- Optional - Scraps of construction paper, spare trim, yarn in your choice of color, assorted sequins, or beads for decoration
- Optional - Wiggle eyes with self adhesive like those found here or glue-on wiggle eyes, it's your choice.
HOW TO
- Skilly Spark: Talk about how your child’s puppets can be anyone they want them to be: mothers, fathers, friends, pets, favorite characters ...
- Ask your child to draw eyes or glue on wiggle eyes at the top of the stick, leaving enough room for hair or a hat at the top.
- To add clothing, add a dot or two of glue on front of the stick.
- Now let's add the fabric. Wrap it around the stick, then glue it in place with a spot of glue on the back or front. Hold the fabric in place for a count of ten to be sure it sticks.
- Guide your child as they glue. You want them to do it themselves. You may have to show them how, but try not do it for them.
- Let the puppet’s individuality shine by adding facial details such as hair, ears, eyebrows to its top using markers, yarn, fabric or paper scraps.
- If your kid wants to, accessorize! For example, glue a piece of ribbon as a belt, a piece of fabric for a bow tie, paper scraps for shoes, gems for earrings.
Keep the fun going
- Create a themed puppet scene with a family of stick puppets, favorite story characters, or sports players. Use them to act out a familiar scene, such as family mealtime, a dramatic chapter or winning play. Or, discover an alien or fantastic creature from another world.